1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging method and an imaging device which use no image forming system.
2. Description of Prior Art
In image formings with light rays including an infrared ray, a visible ray and a ultraviolet ray, an image forming optical system is utilized. Further, with respect to a soft X-ray having an energy of 3 keV or lower, a catoptric image forming system can be constructed utilizing such properties that it is totally reflected when caused to obliquely impinge upon a polished metal surface. Accordingly, it is possible to make an image by utilizing the catoptric image forming system.
However, the above-mentioned catoptric image forming system for a soft X-ray has many restrictions because it utilizes oblique incidence at an extremely slant angle. Further, with respect to a hard X-ray or gamma ray which has a higher energy, it is hardly possible to construct an effective image forming system. Accordingly,. it cannot be expected to make an image by means of an image forming system.
As a method for making an image with respect to an energy ray for which an image forming optical system cannot be constructed, there may be mentioned one which comprises observing an object through a bundle of elongate metal pipes. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, a number of elongate metal pipes 11 are bound into a bundle, and a detector 12 is disposed at the rear end of each of the pipes. Output signal of the each of the detector 12 is processed by a signal processing means 13 into pixel data and displayed on a display means 14 such as CRT, and consequently, an image 15 of a radiation source 10 is displayed.
However, in the method using a bundle of elongate metal pipes, resolution cannot be considerably enhanced because of limitation in diminishing the inner diameter of the metal pipe. Further, if the inner diameter of the metal pipe is diminished, quantity of radiation which reaches the detector is decreased, thereby leading to inferior sensitivity. Moreover, structure of the object cannot be resolved in the depth direction so that a structure image superimposed in the depth direction is observed. Accordingly, the method is not suitable for observation of a radiation source having a three-dimensional structure.